Healthy Living: Healthy Vision Month
Approximately 37 million American adults have age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, all of which can cause vision impairment or blindness.
ABC, this is 7. >> Just like eating healthy and living an active life, eye care should be a priority. And live a healthy life. This month is Healthy Vision Month. It's time to look after your eye health and protect your vision. This morning, doctors Bradley O'Neill and Timothy Quinn are here to tell you more about how to protect your vision. Good morning, thank you for joining Jen Mornings. We know this is obviously an important month because as many as 35 million people suffer from some kind of inflammatory degenerative disease. That's right. >> That's right. Examinations. By getting regular exams, you can get a sense of not just what your doctor tells you, but also what's causing your systemic disease. >> And the impact. That's why this month is so important. Even if you don't have a problem, you know how often you should get an eye exam. >> So that's why it's so important to get an annual eye exam. You know, these days we can detect eye disease early, and often there are very few symptoms of that eye disease. That's why it's so important to get an annual eye exam. And if you catch it early, it's often easier to treat. Plus, it can catch systemic diseases that your doctor doesn't know about or hasn't seen in your case, like high blood pressure or diabetes. So, as one of the doctors, I often do early detection, so for her, that window into your health is really important. What are some things that we should look out for that could be signs or precursors to possible eye problems in the future? >> Sure, vision changes, discomfort, waking up with terrible redness, ptosis, floaters, that have to happen. Flashes are something new or different. And vision is comfortable. >> Of course, vision changes. I know vision changes because we're all caught up in all this and have to wear them. I called a con man or whatever. Is this a normal progression or something that can be stopped? >> Yeah, it's normal. This is called presbyopia, and everyone gets presbyopia when they get into their 40s. And that's really the pattern of how cataracts start and progress. This is what clouds the natural area in the eye. These are some of the symptoms that you may experience. Symptoms of cataracts include blurred vision, glare, especially in bright light at night. You may need more and more light to read a menu at a fine restaurant. Cataracts are normal, but it's really exciting now that cataract surgery is available and vision is better than ever. So it's really important to address the symptoms as well. Sounds like it's too late. I know there have been quite a few breakthroughs when it comes to vision correction and vision aids. >> What's the latest? I'm sure most of you know Reese, but I know there's still a long way to go. >> In cataract surgery, we now have laser system cataract surgery, we can correct astigmatism with different types of premium lenses to give you the best possible vision without glasses, and we also offer multifocal lenses. Multifocal lenses work similarly to focal glasses and multifocal contact lenses, allowing for some degree of myopia. Right. >> You can see second to far, see second to far, all in one. That's a very nice thing. That's right. About the downtime of these types of searches, I think you're a little hesitant to have someone do surgery on your eyes. And you know how much downtime you have with that surgery. >> Absolutely. I think that's a great question. It can be very scary for a lot of patients. They're going to have surgery on their eyes, and now it's painless and it's over in a short amount of time. A few years ago, they would have been in the hospital for days for cataract surgery. Now they're in the hospital. The surgery is done at our clinic or at a surgery center that's attached to our main clinic. The surgery itself takes about eight to 10 minutes. After that, they go home and resume their normal activities. They usually recover within a day or two. They just put in eye drops before and after the surgery, and it doesn't take that long to recover. But most patients are back to normal activities within 48 hours. That's surprising, and I think a lot of patients are. >> I'm a little upset that they didn't have the surgery beforehand. I know some people give up on the surgery because they're scared to see someone like you. >> That's a good point. I totally agree. We have patients coming into our clinic. You get one cataract surgery before you get cataracts, and then we do a procedure called a Clear Lens Exchange (CLR) on that patient. It really keeps you from having to go to class. It has the same effect as LASIK surgery. And the best part is, you don't get cataracts after the surgery. Really? >> That's a testament to how successful this procedure is. Sailors, it's amazing the difference between a lens that you literally implant in your eye and the laser that corrects it. As you get older, is it something that you replace your lenses with? Does your vision change or stay the same? >> It pretty much stays the same. There's a small change, maybe you need some adjustment with a laser correction. Of course, that's not the case. But that's not usually the case. Taking out the clear one and replacing it with a multifocal or instinct lens is definitely going to affect something that's supposed to be good. >> It's a small change. It's amazing. Also, an important thing to note is that a lot of patients think that a membrane will form behind the lens implant and the carrot will grow back. This is very common, most patients will get a membrane cataract and that membrane will never come back.That membrane can be removed with a laser in our clinic quickly and painlessly. Once the membrane is gone, it usually never comes back. It's a really permanent solution and it's with you for life. And insurance covers a lot of the procedures, especially cataract surgery, right? >> That's a good thing. So check your current vision. This is a great way to make sure your vision is a little bit clearer. Thank you both for being here. How can I get in touch with you two practices and find out more about Healthy Vision Month? >> We're here at ICE UNDER THE in Fort Myers Evans. We have a time interest, as do surgeons like Dr. Newman. We're available. >> Every day, right? Thank you both for being here. Researchers. Thanks. We'll also put the information that you see on the screen on our website. We're linking to Tysaner, Florida. It's ABC DASH 7 DOT COM. It's 9:22 and we'll be back with you with the morning news.
Healthy Living: Healthy Vision Month
Approximately 37 million American adults have age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, all of which can cause vision impairment or blindness.
Last updated: May 13, 2024 at 10:52 AM EDT
May is Healthy Vision Month. Approximately 37 million American adults have age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, all of which can lead to vision impairment or blindness. Recent studies have shown that making healthy choices and having regular eye exams can help reduce the risk of vision loss. In support of Healthy Vision Month in May, the American Academy of Ophthalmology encourages everyone to follow these simple tips to take care of their eye health and protect their vision. Watch the video to learn more.
May is Healthy Vision Month, and approximately 37 million American adults have age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, all of which can cause vision impairment and blindness.
Recent studies have shown that making healthy choices and having regular eye exams can reduce the risk of vision loss. Healthy Vision Month For the month of May, the American Academy of Ophthalmology is encouraging everyone to take care of their eye health and preserve their vision by following a few simple tips.
Watch the video for more details.
